infinitesimal
by tabine
Summary: adjective, "extremely small"; a miniature compendium of equally small stories — prompts currently accepted. mostly nejiten.
1. i

**_nejiten california surfers au. neji is trying to learn how to surf and he is bad at it. tenten is dying inside watching her boyfriend make a fool of himself_ — speckeltail**

Written as a fill for the three-sentence meme; this collection is intended to be a way to keep all these tiny mini-fics together in one place, if only for my own peace of mind. Apologies in advance for spamming you guys with all this, heh.

Originally posted on tumblr.

20122016 | 100 | three-sentence fic

—

"You are _really_ bad at this, you know," Tenten says with thinly-veiled amusement, leaning against her board casually, watching smugly as Neji stomps somewhat irritably (albeit with his usual confident grace) through the surf as he returns to the shore, "like, abysmally so."

"My surfboard is defective," comes the prim reply as he stops beside her, leaning to one side in order to wring out his thoroughly-soaked hair.

Tenten rolls her eyes and hooks an arm around Neji's shoulders when he straightens: "It's okay," she murmurs in his ear, "I got you, babe — I won't tell anyone how much you suck at surfing, promise."


	2. ii

**_HMMM When TenTen first sees Neji again? for the NejiLives AU?_ — eversartdump**

Written as a fill for the three-sentence meme; originally posted on tumblr. Based on the NejiLives AU.

Originally posted on tumblr.

09012017 | 144 | three-sentence fic

 **—**

It's as she's leading him away from the band of rogue ninja that have descend upon them that Tenten realizes there is something achingly familiar about the blind man her ANBU cell had found, mere moments before the attack. He tries to tell her something, and though the words are lost in the din of battle she swears she'd heard that voice before, though it's lower and gruffer, now, from what she remembers; Tenten decides it is something she'll have to dwell on later, and tightens her grip on his sleeve.

"Come with me," she demands, raising her voice in order to be heard over the ringing of steel on steel, "i'll bring you somewhere safe – this is no place for civilians."


	3. iii

**_from your NejiTen high school AU, what would be a typical date for Neji and Tenten?_ — athreadofscarlet (MidnightInsomniac)**

Originally posted on tumblr and cross-posted to _and the knives flocked together like birds in flight_ before I realized that it would be much better off in this collection instead — my apologies to anyone who saw this and thought that it was actually a legitimately new chapter instead. :x

For anyone those of you who are curious, my intention is for the stories making up this particular collection to be under five-hundred words in length.

13012017 | 302 | mini-fic

 **—**

With exams just around the corner, the gentle murmur of quiet chatter in the cozy little cafe is a strangely calming thing. Neji closes his textbook and sets his completed Calculus review sheet to one side, and admits to himself that coming here might have been a good idea after all — he's gotten more done in one afternoon here than he normally would if he'd stayed at home, or gone to the public library instead. With a sigh he puts down his pen, reaching for the cardboard cup of green tea beside him and taking a thoughtful sip, and slants a thoughtful glance at his companion over the rim of his cup, just as she raises her eyes from her assignment to look at him.

Their eyes meet, and Tenten pouts.

Neji smirks. "What is it?" he asks.

Tenten scowls. "You know exactly _what_ ," she tells him. Her ink-smudged fingers close around her own drink (some frozen caramel confection with an additional three shots of espresso added to the mix), and she takes a sip before continuing, glaring daggers at him all the while. "We haven't been on a real date in _weeks_!"

"You agreed to come here," Neji points out.

"Because you said it would be a coffee date!" Tenten sets her drink back down on the table with a bit more force than necessary. Droplets of condensation splatter across her AP Chemistry lab report, but she takes no notice. "Not a… a _study date_!"

Neji blinks at her. "I see." He stretches an arm across the table, takes her hand in his — his thumb brushes along her knuckles in a silent apology. "After exams, I'll take you out on a proper date."

Unconvinced, Tenten purses her lips and tilts her head to one side. "Promise?"

"You have my word."


	4. iv

**_what about a cafe musician au_ — gunkers**

Honestly, guys, I don't know — I'm sleepy, and utterly mentally and physically exhausted, and. Yeah.

Just... take this for what you will, I suppose.

23012017 | 284 | mini-fic

 **—**

It's a dull and gray Thursday afternoon, and she's in the midst of tuning her guitar when the bell above the café door chimes, signaling the arrival of another customer. Tenten's not entirely sure what it is that compels her, but she looks all the same — their eyes meet (and she's never seen anyone with eyes so pale and sharp, she thinks, or with features so elegant and regal) and something changes in the air between them. Her breath catches in her throat, and she nearly drops her pick.

She's never really believed in things like love at first sight, but in that moment, Tenten thinks the idea of it would make for a very good song.

And then, just as soon it begins, it ends: it is only then that Tenten realizes he isn't alone (and why would he be, someone handsome and obviously well-to-do like him) and she tries hard not to glare at the woman at his side when she raises herself onto her toes, to whisper something in his ear. He looks away, then, in order to focus his attention on his companion, and Tenten takes the opportunity to turn away, strum a few experimental chords. Pleased by the quality of the sound, and desperate for a distraction, she takes her seat on the tall barstool by the window, pulling the mic stand toward her as she clears her throat.

(There is no noticeable lull in the activity of the cozy, crowded café, when Tenten strums her guitar again and begins to sing, and all the while she pretends she does not feel the intensity of that sharp starlight-and-silver gaze watching her from across the room.)


	5. v

_**"Why the actual fuck is it always Team Gai."** **—**_ ** _An actual Tsunade quote, probably._ — athreadofscarlet (Midnight Insomniac)**

A (not very good) sort-of continuation of an absolute gem of a mini-fic on tumblr in response to an utterly ridiculous text post that is no where near as beautiful as the **Midnight Insomniac** 's ( **athreadofscarlet** ) original (the first chapter of _The Queen, The Prince, and The Duke_ on FFN) because I wrote this in the span of five minutes without proofreading it or anything.

For **Midnight Insomniac** ( **athreadofscarlet** ) and **ninjaellis**.

17012017 | 558 | mini-fic

 **—**

By the time she returns to her office, Tsunade feels as though she's spent the last few days locked in an empty room with only a hyperactive Naruto for company — and it isn't even six in the morning.

"Why is it always them?" she mutters to herself. Slumping into her chair, Tsunade realizes it's far too early to be dealing with any of this, and decides then and there that she is in desperate need of a drink.

Shizune smiles, but is wise enough to say nothing as she watches the Hokage reach wearily toward the cabinet beside her desk, opting instead to until Tsunade has taken a long and indulgent pull from the ceramic bottle that contains her emergency stash of _sake_. "Team Gai has one of the highest success rates out of all the village's three-man cells," she points out, "and with good reason — their training methods and individual skill sets make them one of our most versatile teams."

Pursing her lips, Tsunade nods, almost begrudgingly. "True," she concedes, "though it would be nice if I didn't have to hear about one training mishap or another all the time."

With a helpless sort of shrug, Shizune sighs. "Well, it's Team Gai — you know how they are. And Tenten holds you in very high regard, you know."

"Yes, I'm aware." Pinching the bridge of her nose, Tsunade leans back in her chair with a groan. "She's a very impressive kunoichi in her own right, but — !"

"Hokage-sama!" Tsunade's words die on her tongue as the door to her office slams open, revealing a very haggard-looking chuunin. "Hokage-same, we have a problem!"

Tsunade straightens, wipes her lips on the back of her hand. "What is it?" she asks, all traces of her previous fatigue replaced by the poise and grace of a leader.

"The training grounds, Hokage-sama," the chuunin informs her. "They're… well, they're gone!"

Tsunade blinks, leans back in her chair. "Is that all? I'm aware of what happened, but there are at least a dozen viable training fields for use — "

"You don't understand!" The chuunin seems to be on the verge of tears, now. "They're _gone_ , Hokage-sama! All of the training fields have been destroyed!"

Shizune steps forward to speak to the chuunin, then, for which Tsunade is suddenly extremely grateful; she has a very bad feeling about all of this. "Are there any clues as to who might have done this?" the younger woman demands. "Do we have any suspects?"

"No perpetrators were observed fleeing the scene," the chuunin offers, "but the remains of the training fields were littered with discarded weaponry and dozens of craters, and witnesses in the area claimed to have heard cries about youth and strength."

"I see." Tsunade takes a deep, steadying breath before looking to the chuunin with a grimace. "Please tell Team Gai to see me in my office."

The chuunin, sensing the sudden charge of murderous intent that fills the air, backs away. "Yes, Hokage-sama," he says, and disappears with a soft _poof_.

From her position beside the desk, Shizune eyes the Hokage warily. "Is there anything you'd like me to do, Tsunade-sama?"

But Tsunade doesn't hear her, and reaches instead for the cabinet housing the _sake_ once more. "Why is it _always_ Team Gai?" she asks herself ruefully. " _Why_."


	6. vi

**_tenten wont stop sending neji those tumblr valentines day cards_** **— anonymous**

Tenten's place of employment was a result of being nostalgic for the events of Valentine's Day a few years ago, when I was working at a local daycare (also with infants and toddlers, as it were).

Putting Neji in these sorts of situations is absolutely hilarious, by the way. Just saying.

Also, I'm still not very sure how everything tends to end like this, but. Whatever. xD

14022017 | 592 | drabble

 **—**

At first, Neji thought it rather sweet — cute, even — when he woke up that morning to discover his phone's inbox full of Valentine's Day sentiments in the form of an assortment of memes and internet jokes: much like himself, Tenten was not an individual prone to flowery declarations of love and ardor, and chose instead to show her affection through wry humor and heartfelt actions. Odd as the Valentines themselves were (mostly groan-inducing puns overlaying various fictional characters on top of garishly-pink or purple backgrounds), Neji knew that it was the thought behind them that counted, and so he wasted no time in responding to her texts with a simple _thank you_ and a question about what time he would be picking her up to go to dinner after work that evening, all with a (very, _very_ small) smile on his normally taciturn countenance.

Of course, the smile faded just as quickly.

By the time Neji arrived at the office, his inbox was once again full of Valentine's Day messages from Tenten, ranging in quality from those created painstakingly using high-end image-editing software to ones most likely made on Microsoft Paint in under thirty seconds.

Upon leaving a very important business meeting a little after noon (all through which his phone had been buzzing incessantly in his pocket, to the point that he'd actually been forced to put the device on airplane mode), Neji was a little more than irate to discover himself the recipient of another twenty-seven shoddy Valentine's Day cards.

At three minutes to five o'clock in the evening, just as he was packing up his things before heading home from the day, that number had more than doubled in size. Idly, he wondered not just _where_ Tenten had found all messages, but precisely _when_ she'd had the time to send them all — she worked with toddlers and infants at a local daycare, for goodness's sake, and for much longer hours than him!

It was enough that Neji did not bother checking his phone even once on his commute home, not even to answer when Tenten called him (presumably to discuss their plans for the evening) when he was approximately twelve minutes away from his condo. Rationalizing that he was justified in acting just as childish as she was (particularly since it wasn't often that he gave into his more juvenile whims and petty inclinations), he merely ignored the call with a small smirk of self-satisfaction, and resolved to discuss the matter with her over dinner.

Naturally, this did not happen, because Tenten was already at his condo when he returned, greeting him at the door to his bedroom wearing nothing but some very suggestive-but-elegant lingerie of red lace and satin. Whatever argument he'd had prepared for her died immediately on his tongue when she gave him _That Look_ and sashayed into the bedroom without another word, and he followed her without a second thought.

"Maybe I should send you terrible Valentine's Day cards more often," she joked, the words trailing off into a sharp gasp and then a breathless sigh as he nipped at the swell of her breasts spilling from the corset top, "if this is how you're going to react to them."

Growling, Neji pushed her against the mattress, flat on her back and with her wrists pinned above her head with one of his hands. "Don't."

She laughed, wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. "Whatever you say, you perv — you know you love it."


	7. vii

**_Sex with Neji is soooo fucking good, Tenten forgets that she has neighbors and her walls are paper thin.. ^_~ *winkwink_ — gracie-sketchy-cat**

I have no further explanation for this. I'm so sorry.

23022017 | 203 | drabble

 **—**

Tenten blinked.

So did Neji.

The awkwardness of it all was killing her. Tenten cleared her throat, unsure of what else to do, and read the note tacked to her apartment door again.

 _To the couple getting it on in apartment 410,_

 _First and foremost, congratulations — the best way to celebrate the end of a successful mission is loud and indulgent sex. It's important. We get it — we're shinobi, too._

 _Of course, we also get that being able to have a full-night's sleep_ before _a mission is also just as important, and that's sort of hard to do when the apartment walls are paper-thin. Which is why we hope that next time you'll consider soundproofing your apartment,if only so that the rest of us in the building who are getting ready for missions of our own will be able to complete ours just as successfully as you have, and hopefully celebrate just as enthusiastically._

 _Sincerely,  
_ _The occupants of apartments 411, 416, 413, 417, 510, 511, 310, and 312._

"Well," she finally said, at length, "want to help me set up silencing barriers around my apartment today?"

Neji blushed, and made it a point not to look at her. "I suppose."


	8. viii

**_Can you write about Neji helping tenten through a tough pregnancy?_ — anonymous**

I am approximately 98% certain that this was not the sort of fic response/prompt fill the anon was looking for. Unfortunately, I can't quite say that I regret writing it. Heh.

(Written quickly in the span of five minutes, and so apologies in advance for, well. Everything. :p)

15032017 | 288 | drabble

 **—**

After a great many failed attempts at the task, it is with a low groan of exertion and thinly-veiled fatigue that Tenten finally manages to push herself off the couch in order to head to the kitchen for the leftover Chinese food she has stored away in her fridge. Neji can't help but smile wryly to himself as he watches her bustle around the tiny space, her navigation of the cramped quarters made even more difficult by the limited mobility of her heavily-pregnant frame.

"You're a jerk for putting me in this situation, you know," she says, then, as if she were reading his thoughts. Then again, she's always managed to know what he was thinking at any given point of time — perhaps it is for this reason that Neji says nothing, his silence answer enough, and he merely continues to watch Tenten, wait patiently for her to return to the living room.

It does not take long for Tenten to reappear shortly thereafter, a plate of reheated dumplings in one hand, a glass of water in the other. Neji pretends not to notice how her eyes are now curiously red-rimmed and pink, the way her lower lip trembles only the slightest bit.

"You're a jerk," she repeats, voice barely above a whisper as she stares at the small framed photograph of his face in the simple shrine across the room, "and I'm never going to forgive you for it."

"I know," Neji replies, all-too-aware that she can neither see nor hear him. Nonetheless he steps closer, wraps his arms around her, ignoring the way she passes through his spectral form on her journey back to the couch. "My apologies, to you both."


	9. ix

**_proper grammar and its appropriate usage has a tendency to serve as a giant cockblock neji you really should know better_** **— n/a**

I'm fairly certain both phrases used below are correct, but currently I'm too braindead and exhausted to either care about or ascertain it, so. Whatever.

(Also, before anyone asks, I will probably never either finish or expand upon it in any capacity whatsoever, but feel free to do something with this if you so desire — and please let me know if you do, because you know I am all about that Nejiten hell. Life. Whatever.)

16032017 | 289 | drabble

 **—**

"Who do you belong to?" Tenten's voice is low and raspy in his ear, and it sends a shiver of anticipation down Neji's spine.

Licking kiss-swollen lips, he swallows, thickly, and looks up at her from his supine position with as much dignity as he can. Even with his face flushed, the pale column of his neck still darkened here and there with day-old love bites, and his breathing ragged, it is still a considerable amount. "Whom."

It takes a moment for Tenten to register his response through the haze of lust clouding her thoughts, and another more for her to understand its meaning. When it does, she merely blinks at him, settles back to sit on his upper thighs. "What."

Neji frowns, and he's not sure if it's from the sudden lack of body contact and friction, or the fact that Tenten doesn't seem to _get_ it. "You said _who do you belong to_. It should be _to whom do you belong_."

A distinct noise of frustration leaves her throat, then. "Does it really matter?"

Pushing himself onto his elbows, Neji sits up so that he can look her pointedly in the eye. "If you're going to insist on using dirty talk, then at least be sure you're doing it correctly."

"Well, _excuse_ me." Tenten snaps. "I was a bit preoccupied — I was _this_ close to calling you 'sir'." She rolls off of Neji and steps away from the bed, glaring at him all the while, before stalking to the adjoining bathroom on the other side of the room, still naked. The door slams shut behind her, and Neji winces.

This isn't the first time it's happened, after all. He really _should_ know better by now.


	10. x

**_Tenten's heart flutters whenever Neji stares at her from across the room. (lol neji dun even know that he's doing it!)_ — gracie-sketchy-cat**

Definitely not my best by work by any means, but, well. At least I get a gold star for trying?

Also, I only realized that the last part of the prompt was there _after_ I'd written the rest of this. Sorry. :x

18032017 | 277 | drabble

 **—**

If you are one of the few and privileged who claim to know — _really_ know — Hyuuga Neji, then you would be painfully aware that first and foremost among his great many quirks and characteristics is his reticence to do absolutely anything without proper cause, deliberation, and justification. It is for this reason alone that Tenten feels her something warm and precious settle into her heart, when a lull in her conversation with Sakura allows her a moment to glance idly around the crowded room, and her she finds herself meeting the intense stare of a beautifully familiar pair of cool pale eyes.

( _Why do you do things like that?_ she grumbles into his shoulder, flustered.

Clearly amused, he raises an eyebrow, looking down at her with only the faintest trace of humor reaching his eyes, curving his thin lips. _You'll have to be more specific than that._

She scowls, refuses to meet his gaze. Her cheeks grow even warmer, and she takes her time to respond. _You keep staring at me,_ she finally concedes. _I had no idea until Ino mentioned something about it, and she wouldn't stop teasing me for the rest of the night._

 _Is it wrong for me to look at the things I find beautiful, or wish to appreciate?_ he counters smoothly.

Pulling away from his shoulder, she gapes up at him. _Do you mean that?_ she asks, voice small and almost hesitant.

He chooses to reassure her by pressing his lips to her forehead, pulling her closer against him. _You know better than anyone that I only say and do things I mean._ )

Something warm flutters in her chest, and Tenten smiles.


	11. xi

**_Neji falling further in love with Tenten, coz of the way she holds his hand._ — gracie-sketchy-cat**

Naturally, I write something about these two involving hands on a night when my own feel like they're going to fall off. Well, more so than usual, at least, but I suppose that's life for you. (No, really. Hand issues are literally my life, now. It's terrible.)

 _Damn_ , though, if I don't love symbolism involving hands. Heh.

Also, I'm still not very happy with this one either. But, eh. Whatever.

23032017 | 283 | drabble

 **—**

"You really overdid it this time, you know," Tenten tells him. Her brows are furrowed, eyes narrowed and lips pursed in concentration as she focuses her attention on setting the fractured bones of Neji's forearms into the makeshift splints she'd fashioned from the first supple young sapling they'd come across after fleeing the group of rogue-nin that had managed to ambush them barely an hour ago.

Neji says nothing, only gritting his teeth as he watches her work methodically. The injuries he's sustained don't hurt as much as he'd thought fractures would — "That's because you're still in shock," Tenten had told him matter-of-factly, though she'd given him a painkiller of some sort to tide him over until they were able to return to the village. He finds himself fascinated by the way she takes care to ensure the make-shift straps of the splint (nothing more than old strips of fabric she'd stored in one of her many scrolls weeks before "just in case") aren't so tight as to cut into his inflamed and swollen wrists while still providing adequate support, how her calloused fingers move with practiced and measured ease, despite her inability to perform medical ninjutsu.

As if reading his thoughts, Tenten raises her head, meeting his eye with a pout before looking back down in order to complete the task at hand. "There's no reason for me to not know how to perform first aid just because I can't do medical ninjutsu, you know."

"Of course," Neji murmurs quietly. Tenten's hands are now cradling his own gently as she examines her handiwork, and he feels something warm and content begin to fledge in his chest. "Thank you."


	12. xii

_**when the author comes up with yet another au for the otp by putting them into one of their own original fictional worlds**_ **— n/a**

Alternatively: "Tabu had an idea for a pre-existing original fiction thing that they wanted to explore, but is still coming up with names and things for it, so they decided to try writing it instead with the otp in order to figure things out and well now we're here".

Don't look at me. Or judge me. :x

That being said, don't expect to see more of this in the future, since the basis of this drabble is actually my own original work (albeit a rather tweaked version of it). Even so, I liked the general idea of it — that is, giant magical mecha-type things — to ignore completely, so. Posting here will have to suffice, I suppose.

(Mm, no. I take that back — I might ultimately end up exploring this idea some more with Nejiten, but we shall see.)

06042017 | 357 | drabble

 **—**

[…] — and there, in the middle of the immense plain, lay the great figure itself, blanketed by moss and dirt and the memories of centuries long since passed.

Her breath lodged itself in her throat at the sight, and beside her, Neji exhaled sharply in awestruck disbelief.

"One of the Anbu," he murmured. "So the stories _are_ true."

An ache settled into her heart at Neji's words, heavy and bittersweet, and something in Tenten compelled her to step forward, one hand reaching out to the sleeping giant as the other rubbed furiously at the tears suddenly burning at the corners of her eyes. "I knew you," she heard herself tell the ancient automaton, voice hardly louder than the wind whispering through the grass all around, and thick with emotion she could not name. The words felt strange on her tongue, and Tenten blinked, shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts.

Beside her, Neji watched on warily, thin lips pressed tightly together. "Tenten?" he asked. His voice was low, the anger that had colored it during their previous argument replaced with genuine concern; had the situation been any different, she might have found it sweet.

Tenten ignored him, and tried again. "I _know_ you," she said, as her calloused fingers brushed against the old machine with an affectionate familiarity she did not understand. Recognition for something that was not quite her own flared within her all the same, and she craned her head to the side, meeting the Anbu's steady, empty gaze with her own.

"Be careful," Neji urged at her side, even as his footsteps matched hers pace for pace, stretching his arm alongside her own toward the humanoid machine. His voice sounded strange and dream-like, and seemed to have an odd echoing quality to it; Tenten felt as though he were speaking to her from very far away. "We don't know anything about it, except for what was told in the stories — "

"No," she whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from the dark eyeholes of the Anbu's cracked, white faceplate and uncertain of whom she was addressing. "It's fine — _I know you_."


	13. xiii

_**nejiten fantasy au ftw**_ **— n/a**

I've been feeling the fantasy NejiTen AU for a while now, honestly, but I've specifically been wanting a story where Neji is a nobleman/from a noble house and Tenten is part of a mercenary group (and if you're thinking along the lines of the _Fire Emblem_ games, you're definitely on the right track). I'm probably going to rewrite _all_ of this later — assuming I actually finish outlining this fic to begin with — so I figured I'd give you the word-vomit in its entirety because, well, why not, right? :p

Comments, critique, feedback, ideas, concerns, etc. are always appreciated! Especially the ideas — I have some, but _man_ , hearing more is always good.

(I also haven't written in past-tense in _so long_ that I actually think I've forgotten _how_. Whoops.)

Happy reading!

20050217 | 803 | drabble

 **—**

The worn leather soles of Hyuuga Neji's boots made little noise as he navigated the twisting stone corridors of the Keep, swift and silent as a shadow. He moved with purpose and single-minded determination, ignoring the surprised exclamations of nobility ands servants alike until he arrived at his destination: a large redwood door bearing a brass knocker in the shape of a bird's head, and flanked on either side by two members of the Royal Guard decked in full battle regalia.

"I received a summons," he stated plainly. To have four of the most elite knights under his command standing guard, Neji thought, did not bode well. "Lord Hiashi wishes to see me."

Unflinchingly, the guards complied, stepping aside with heads bowed and a closed fist pressed over the breastplates of their armor in a show of deference and respect to their Commander. "His Grace is within," said the senior most among them. Her companions kept silent. "The Healer is with him."

With a curt nod of understanding and vague approval for the knights' adherence to protocol, Neji stepped forward. The knocker was smooth and cool beneath his finger, and barely had he raised it, allowed it to slam back against the door with a heavy _thunk!_ , did it open, revealing a pair of jade-green eyes observing him with thinly-veiled suspicion.

Neji clenched his jaw. "Sakura." Such caution was prudent, he knew, but given the circumstances, also irrelevant. Every moment spent idle was a moment wasted.

The eyes widened in recognition. "My lord!" A moment later, the door swung open further, and Neji stepped through.

"Lord Hiashi," he began, watching as Sakura effortlessly pushed the door close, slipped the bolt and connecting chain that kept it locked back into position with a wry sense of amusement. The sheer strength the apprentice Healer possessed never failed to catch his notice — she would have made a fine soldier under his command, had she not shown instead a prodigal capacity to master the healing arts. "I was told he was attacked by a mysterious assailant?"

Sakura nodded and gestured for him to follow her. "That is the gist of it, yes," she affirmed, leading him down another smaller, curving hallway, until they reached another door, this one smaller and engraved with delicate leaves and twining vines. A member of the Royal Guard stood watch on either side of it. "But I am afraid there is more to this than what Lord Hiashi's missive let on."

Neji said nothing, and nodded to the guardsmen, who bowed as Sakura opened the door and led them through. Once inside, he immediately dropped to his knee, head lowered and pale-eyed gaze trained on the scuffed toes of his boot, while the apprentice Healer hurried forward, to her teacher's side.

"My Lord Hyuuga," Sakura began softly, once the door had shut behind them. "Dame Tsunade. The Commander has arrived."

"Has he, now?" came another, more mature feminine voice. Neji detected a note of dry sarcasm in the question, and fought the urge to show his disapproval. He'd known the Healer since his birth, and her flagrant disregard for formalities was something he was familiar with. Even so, there was hint of urgency to her words as well that did not escape his notice. "Well, tell him to come closer, then! I've been holding off on giving His Grace the sleeping draught long enough — the man needs his rest."

But Neji, ever dutiful, remained in his position by the door, straightening and approaching the large bed in the center of the room only when yet another spoke, voice deep, refined, and edged with pain. "Come here, my boy."

"Lord Uncle." Neji looked down at the man laying prone before him. "What has happened? Who was it that attacked you?"

"Servants of the Puppet King," came a third voice, then.

Neji stiffened. He was not familiar with this new speaker — the lilt of the accent was one he could not place, lending an unusual edge to the words — and it alarmed him to realize he had not been able to recognize the presence of a stranger in the room. Slowly, he turned away from the bed, in the direction of the voice, and narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

From a shadowed corner of the room stepped a woman. Neji took in her appearance, her posture, and the secrets each betrayed: her small frame and childish hairstyle, the hard and corded muscle hidden beneath her loose tunic and breeches and the deadly curved edge of the broadax she wore openly at her hip. "I am the mercenary leader Tenten," she told him with a smile, eyes glinting like steel in the flickering light cast by the torches and candles around the room, "and I saved your lord uncle's life."


	14. xiv

_**medical school au (1/?)**_ **— n/a**

This was originally part of a medical school/vaguely-university AU fic where Tenten and Neji were both medical students. The story itself revolved around a neuroscience class they would be taking, and each chapter would have been devoted to one of the twelve cranial nerves.

I've since abandoned the AU fic in question, but there's still bits and pieces of this WIP that are relatively salvageable, so. _Waste not_ , and such. :p

Like always, feedback and critique is always appreciated!

09062017 | 377 | snippet

* * *

 **cranial nerve (V)**

 ** _trigeminal nerve_** **: sensory information (touch, pain) from face and head; innervates muscles used in mastication (chewing)  
** CN (V) is composed of three distinct parts: the _ophthalmic_ (V1), the _maxillary_ (V2), and the _mandibular_ (V3) nerves. Combined, these nerves provide sensation to the skin of the face and also control muscles of mastication.

 **—**

" _Mastication_ sounds a lot like _masturbation_ , doesn't it?"

Neji frowns at her over his bowl of soba noodles. "Don't say things like that." He purses his lips at her. "It's crass."

Tenten sticks her tongue out at him in response before turning back to her plate of dumplings. "Sounds like _someone_ needs to get laid," she mutters, and entirely misses the way his eyes linger on her in a vaguely considering way as she flags down the waiter and orders herself another beer.

 **—**

He brings her back to his apartment after dinner. All the lights are off when they arrive, and Tenten finds herself glancing around curiously as she removes her shoes, tosses her coat over the back of the nearest couch. Her backpack comes to rest on the floor beside it.

"You don't have any roommates?" she asks, watching as Neji locks the door and slides the deadbolt into place.

He steps away from the door, taking another few moments to slip off his own shoes, set his jacket on top of hers, before coming to stand beside her, so close that she can feel his breath fanning over her cheeks, the heat radiating off his body. Almost tentatively, he raises a hand, and Tenten watches, fascinated, as Neji settles it on the flare of her hip.

"I like my privacy," he tells her quietly.

Her breath catches in her throat.

A moment later, Neji is kissing her. His lips are hot and demanding against her own, and Tenten allows herself to succumb to the undeniable undercurrent of attraction that's been running between them for weeks, now, tangling her fingers in his hair and pulling him close.

His hands trail from her hips, curving round to cup her bottom firmly and tugging her flush against him. The sensation sends electricity sparking through her nervous system, and she breaks the kiss with a gasp. But Neji is undeterred, and he uses the moment to trail his lips from the corner of her mouth, along her jaw, until he reaches her throat, leaving her skin burning in his wake.

"What was that you said about someone needing to get laid?" he whispers against her pulse.

Tenten responds by grinding herself against him, and kissing him desperately once more.


End file.
